Foodservice Issues

Spotlights the challenges and opportunities that impact the application of foodservice equipment and supplies in the real world including green and energy efficiency concerns, foodservice equipment concerns, the impact of technology on foodservice, and the state of the foodservice economy.

With the principles of lean design and construction catching on in foodservice design, designers and kitchen equipment contractors need to work more efficiently with architects and other members of the project team. One approach that is growing in popularity is integrated project delivery.

Today's innovative healthcare foodservice providers tend to be masters of multiple disciplines. Their business models often range from retail to catering to patient foodservice, with a few grab-and-go options tossed in for good measure.

A small linear retail location barely met the needs of visitors and staff at Aurora Medical Center Kenosha for many years. But an ever-expanding outpatient population paired with the hospital's expansion to 73 inpatient beds eventually rendered the existing space insufficient.

As the U.S. population ages, continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) continue to grow at an unprecedented rate. A key component at these CCRCs is foodservice, which also continues to grow and evolve to meet the needs of the burgeoning segment.

A rapidly evolving healthcare environment has led to a number of organizations aligning with one another. This can impact the population these healthcare foodservice operators need to serve as well as how they provide food and nutrition services. Such was the case with the 72-bed Syosset Hospital when it took on a 32-bed orthopedic program from another hospital in February of 2014.

This has been quite the year for Dan Henroid, MS, RD, director of Nutrition and Food Services (NFS), and sustainability officer for UCSF Medical Center, and his staff. They've had a major operational expansion and made gargantuan adjustments to their services.